air cond and drip pan

[oklahomajewel]

Okay, me and the neighbor have been brainstorming. I need y'alls help.

My air conditioner, 5000 btu and about 41 lbs, it's brand new got it at Lowe's, will be on my interior shelf/cabinet and over to the passenger side. We have a good set up for the intake and exhaust . That's not the problem.


QUESTION ---- The a/c unit doesn't really have a drain hole or place where the condensation comes OUT. I ran it for a couple hours straight , just sitting on a bench in the shop, and it didn't really drip but then when I tilted it , the water ran out the corner seam. So.... it seems there is sort of a built in drip pan? Could we just drill a hole and secure a drip hose there? Or drill a small hole, and then what would we use to make a drip PAN, then have the hose coming from that?

We've thought of making our own out of metal, or fashioning some other material to make a pan. The manual says really nothing about condensation and dripping. It looks like there is space in the bottom of the unit to drill a small hole to affix a drain hose.

Granted this may not run much, but if it's a 104* day and taking a 2 hour nap or something , I've got to be prepared !!!

I'll plug it in again tonite and let it run for a while and really look at where the drainage is pooling. I just know you all are the smartest teardrop builders in the WORLD and will give me some ideas!!!

Thanks!!!

Julie

[apratt]

If you don't make a hole in it, could use a cookie sheet.

[Chris C]

Julie,

I too, recently bought a couple of new window units to use in my shop. I'm a real nut about reading the directions, (amazing stuff found in them sometimes) and was surprised to note that the units could be set up either to use a drain hose, or NOT! The method of not using the drain hole lets the condensate build up in the bottom of the unit and then be picked up by the fan..................which in turn throws it onto the coils and aids in the cooling of the coils. So, you might check the "destructions" and see if your units work the same way.

[Chip]

Just my experience,,, I had one of the non drip a/c's in my last camper,,, the 2nd time I used it the a/c I didnt get the head of the trailer level,,, the a/c worked fine,, but after running about an hour there was a 18" dia wet spot on top of my feet,,, by the morning the wet spot was about 4' dia,,, needless to say I drilled a hole, attached a fitting and ran a hose out the back of the trailer,, no wet spot after that and I slept cool and dry,,,

just my experience with the drip pan and the wet spot,,,,

chipper

[Chris C]

That's certainly not why I'd expect a wet spot in the tear!!!!:lol: But yeah, Chip, ya gotta level the trailer for the system ta work! Good point though, I'm sure not all trailers are leveled perfectly every time they are parked, so the "pipe it outside" plan is probably the best. Or better yet, don't camp where it's hot enough to need an AC!!

[jagular7]

If you use the base metal as the pan, you'll need to dipple the pan to the hole. The pan will be flat and without a place to 'run down', the water will collect and seap through the side joints.
Do a test on the bench. Mount the ac on makeshift mounts on top of the bench (you are going to add supprt from underneath and not really on the front/side mount?). Add water to the lower pan and see where it'll leak.

In a Scamp camper I once had, the ac was in the closet. The ac was secured to side rails underneath the base pan. I added a hole in the base pan and then dippled it. I used a plastic funnel trimmed and sealed this in the pan. Underneath added a drain hose and was done.

Note, the drain hose was short. It dripped water near the front door. Made a mess one time with mud in the camper... Watch where you drain it.

[Rickxr2]

I feel the A/C is that way for a reason. I caulked and painted the box my A/C sits in, easier than finding a galvanized pan the right size. I also have two drains in the box, in case one gets plugged.

Rick

[IndyTom]

Could we just drill a hole and secure a drip hose there? Or drill a small hole, and then what would we use to make a drip PAN, then have the hose coming from that?


Julie

Julie,

The first caution I would give is to be very careful if you drill a hole in the drip pan. My dad was an appliance repair man and serviced window airconditioners. 3 or 4 times every summer, we would get A/Cs in the shop where someone had drilled a hole to drain them because they were leaking into the house, and had drilled right into one of the tubes in the condenser coil. That will ruin your whole day.

I'm not to the point of mounting an A/C in mine yet, but am planning to mount an aluminum baking pan under mine and ensuring that I have plenty of backwards tilt so the water will run into the pan. I will drill the hole and attach the drain to the pan.

Anyway, just an idea.

Tom

[Steve_Cox]

A hole in each corner for when the trailer is out of level from side to side. This is simple and it works. Brass fittings - 1/4" hose to 1/4" MPT (male pipe thread) 1/4" MPT tapped holes in the back side of the AC housing. The white stuff on the brass hose barbs is teflon tape.

[Larwyn]

I am working out of town so cannot take a picture but....

I had planned to attach the hose that came with the ac unit for the drain. However when it came time to take care of that issue I had lost the fitting.
I already had the mounting position mapped out (center galley floor). I ended up marking the position of the factory drain hole of the ac unit on the floor. I then used a hole saw centered over this mark and installed a bar sink drain. The unit is tilted toward the back when the trailer is level so it should drain properly even if the trailer is not perfectly level...

This has not been tested other than in the shop. But worked fine there.

[Miriam C.]

Juli
The Box stores now sell panning material that is like rubber fabric. They have other stuff that is moldable too. I am thinking of panning off the area where the air cond. sits and draining that.
Miriam

[48Rob]

Miriam,

Can you provide more detail...moldable material in a rubber like fabric?
I could use something like that...


Thank you


Rob

[Jiminsav]

my advice would be to drain the drain pan instead of the A/C..and i'd set the edges up about a ¼ inch and dimple it towards the center where i'd put the drain so it wouldn't matter if the trailer was level or not.

[len19070]

My AC is a little different, it rolls in and out of the wall. Flush when traveling and sticking out 14" when in use. But what I used as a drip pan could work on anything.

I built a 1" deep pan and mounted my drawer glides to it (ya don't need drawer glides) But the entire AC sets in the pan. I mounted it a little out of level so the water would roll to the back. I can control where the water goes in the pan. Out 2 drain tubes in the outside corners.

Its kind of a cross between Aurthur's Cookie tray, and Steve's drain tubes. A Controlled leak.

Happy Trails

Len

[Miriam C.]

Miriam,

Can you provide more detail...moldable material in a rubber like fabric?
I could use something like that...


Thank you


Rob

I will go tommorow and get all!! I only noticed it because I was looking for an alternative to an 6' long inner tube. Comes in 4ft wide but don't remember details.
Miriam